Bali Padda is an Indian-origin actor, producer, and director who is a passionate advocate for cultural and gender diversity on Australian screen and stage.

By Amit Sarwal

Recently, sixteen creatives from across Australia have been selected to come to Sydney for the three-day intensive workshop. ‘Seeing Ourselves: Developing the Developer’ workshop has been designed to give professionals from diverse backgrounds greater access to the screen sector, reports Screen Australia. The list of successful applicants includes Bali Padda.

One day before my 32nd birthday, I made contact with Graeme Mason, CEO of Screen Australia, and proposed that we meet to come up with a way the national peak funding body for screen productions can make an influential change in diversity and inclusion in Australian TV & Film.

Lighten Up is a laugh-out-loud comedy that follows the plight of John Green, an Indian Australian man living in the western Sydney suburb of Greystanes. John’s overbearing mother Bronwyn has high hopes for him to procreate with a blonde, white Australian woman and so cleanse the family of any further ‘ethnicity’ in their bloodline. How far is John willing to go in pursuit of love and stardom? One thing is for certain: John is determined to be recognised as ‘true blue’… Or whatever colour it is that Australians are supposed to be.

Following extensive consultation with the Equity Diversity Committee, the Casting Guild of Australia (CGA) has adopted a diversity policy that will now be included on their website, Facebook page and in CGA members’ casting briefs and email signatures.